Dodgers, Cardinals go to extras in NLCS opener

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina tags out Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis at home during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina tags out Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis at home during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis races to third for a triple during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)— AP

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis races to third for a triple during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina tags out Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis at home during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)— AP

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina tags out Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis at home during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina tags out Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis at home during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)— AP

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina tags out Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis at home during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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St. Louis Cardinals' Matt Carpenter celebrates as he scores on a double by Carlos Beltran during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)— AP

St. Louis Cardinals' Matt Carpenter celebrates as he scores on a double by Carlos Beltran during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Andre Ethier can't come up with a double by St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)— AP

Los Angeles Dodgers' Andre Ethier can't come up with a double by St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Andre Ethier can't come up with a double by St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)— AP

Los Angeles Dodgers' Andre Ethier can't come up with a double by St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
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St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran hits a two-run scoring double during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)— AP

St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran hits a two-run scoring double during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran hits a two-run scoring double during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)— AP

St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran hits a two-run scoring double during the third inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina reacts after tagging out Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis at home during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)— AP

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina reacts after tagging out Los Angeles Dodgers' Mark Ellis at home during the 10th inning of Game 1 of the National League baseball championship series Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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ST. LOUIS 
Carlos Beltran hit a two-run double and later threw out a runner at the plate as the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers were tied at 2 after 12 innings Friday night in the NL championship series opener.

It was the first extra-inning game in this postseason. It was past midnight when the Cardinals and Dodgers moved into the 13th at Busch Stadium.

Dodgers starter Zack Greinke struck out 10 in eight innings, allowing just four hits. Cardinals starter Joe Kelly left after the sixth with the score 2-all.

Mark Ellis tripled with one out in the Dodgers 10th. After Hanley Ramirez was intentionally walked, Michael Young followed with a fly ball to shallow right field that Beltran caught.

Beltran made a strong, one-hop throw home and Ellis crashed into Gold Glove catcher Yadier Molina.

Molina held the ball, but it was hard to tell whether he actually tagged Ellis. On such plays, however, umpires almost always give the benefit to the catcher and call the runner out.

The Dodgers put runners at first and second with two outs in the 11th against John Axford. Pinch-hitter Nick Punto, who played for the Cardinals on their 2011 World Series championship team, struck to end the inning.

Young, in the game after cleanup man Adrian Gonzalez was pulled for a pinch-runner in the eighth, got another chance in 12th. With runners on first and second, he grounded into an inning-ending double play against Lance Lynn.

Slowed by a sore ankle, Ethier made his first start in this postseason. He appeared to mistime his jump just a bit as he banged into the padded wall.

Beltran's two-run double in the third was the only damage against Greinke. He fanned Carpenter, Matt Adams and Pete Kozma twice each and struck out the side in the fifth.

The teams are postseason foes for the first time since a Dodgers sweep in their 2009 division series. It's their first NLCS matchup since 1985, when the Cardinals won in six games behind game-breaking homers from Ozzie Smith and Jack Clark off Tom Niedenfuer.

Game 2 on Saturday features a marquee pitching matchup, with Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw opposing rookie Michael Wacha, who has taken no-hit bids deep into his last two starts. Kershaw was the major league ERA leader for the third straight year, but two of his losses came against St. Louis and his 4.15 ERA was his highest against any team he faced at least twice.

Kelly left on his own terms after six innings in a 2-all tie, hurt only by Juan Uribe's two-run single in the third. Counting multiple efforts, the Cardinals had five relievers warm but the Dodgers were 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

Beltran has 33 postseason RBIs in 40 games after his two-run double off the wall in center tied it in the third.